1927 - 2014

Founder of World Wilderness Congress

Ian Player was a Substitute Game Ranger of Lake St Lucia, South Africa and led 'Operation Rhino' -- an initiative to save the white rhinoceros from extinction -- and thus developed techniques used widely today for saving other endangered species. He also founded Umzinduzi/Umgeni Canoe Marathon 1950 and World Wilderness Congress.

Ian Player committed his life to conservation and, in particular, to the preservation of the rhino.